Two simple tweaks to make your videos stand out

by Steven Washer on July 20, 2011

When it comes to making videos, would you say you’re talented? If not, there’s nothing to be anxious about. In this week’s video, I have some simple tips that could not only change the way you make videos, but… well, you’ll have to see for yourself 🙂

{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }

Sharon Rosen July 20, 2011 at 7:05 am

BRILLIANT! Steve, you offer some of the best content, and lead so well by example, that I learn so much every time I watch. Thanks for all the great support — I’ll be reshooting and posting my first video (homepage welcome) by the end of this week.
Blessings and chai to you…

Steve July 20, 2011 at 7:10 am

Thank you, Sharon! I went to your website. I agree that a video is a great idea for you as your subject beautifully lends itself to a video treatment. Please come back and let me know when it’s up!

Morris @ helps you get found at Navegare July 20, 2011 at 10:07 am

Excellent work, Steve.
We just need to focus our attention on continuous improvements one at a time. We all have talent. Some of us just need to work at it a bit more. But it really doesn’t matter. We just need to keep working on it.

Steve July 20, 2011 at 10:40 am: Agreed! By the way, I love your new website, Morris.
Bit of an awesome video on your homepage.

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Rebecca July 20, 2011 at 10:08 am

Great video and very good advice. I have been away from making vids for a couple of years, I need to get back to it.

Steve July 20, 2011 at 10:33 am: Great! Post back here when you get your first one up, OK?

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Mark Mian July 20, 2011 at 10:27 am

Steve, great video. Inspiring, informative and imaginative.

Steve July 20, 2011 at 10:43 am: Thank you, Mark. I’ve found that occasionally it’s OK to have fun while you’re working 🙂

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Tammy Kabell July 20, 2011 at 10:38 am

Dearest Steve – I second Sharon’s comment that you provide the very best content, and I would add that I haven’t seen anything better out there in the internet video marketplace.

I have a quick question for you. I have a friend, Nan Crawford (www.nancrawford.com) that coaches people on their stage presence. She recommends using a Leonardo DaVinci method of projecting physically (lots of wide hand movements). Since video is a much smaller “stage,” how do you feel about exaggerated hand and body movements on camera?

With much reverence, Chai leader –
Tammy Kabell

Steve July 20, 2011 at 11:06 am: That’s a great question, Tammy! So the answer is similar to the “practice happy” exercise. Being more expressive with your hands will help boost your energy for sure. As to how crazy you can get with it, it’s a matter of architecture. The architecture of the stage is radically different than video. That’s why stage actors sometimes have difficulties in making the transition from the theater to film. They can simply be too big for the medium.

What your friend Nan is referring to is probably about engaging your whole body in the communication. That’s a good thing, but that kind of change happens over time and with practice. Otherwise you can get too big and it doesn’t come across as authentic. But the truth is that many more people are probably going to err on the conservative side and never quite get out of themselves unless they “own” that communication style.

So the answer is not to be “big” but to be totally yourself and all that implies. On camera it’s a bit less than on a stage, as the energy will transfer with less overt theatricality, but for the right person, being genuinely BIG could be amazing.

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Paul Wolfe July 23, 2011 at 1:26 pm

Steve

Love Geoff Colvin’s book. I wrote my own version of Deliberate Practice for bass players in the fall of 2009. It was one of the most satisfying- and exhausting – things that I’ve ever done!

But Deliberate Practice works for EVERYTHING. Not just music. Or sports. Or writing. Everything.

Including video.

I find one part of the Jerry Rice story really interesting. Generally he’s lauded as the No#1 player of all time in American Football – and if you look at the All Time Stats list he leads in touchdowns and yards not by a few percent. Last time I looked I think it was 40 and 50% respectively (give or take one per cent).

So he was not just a bit better statisticly (sp.) than his rivals (of all time). But 50% better. Come on, you say, this guy must have been superhumanly talented to stand that far ahead of anyone else.

Here’s the thing though – at Draft, he was the 16th pick of his year. At college level he was an All Star player…but never won whatever the award is for the best college player. He was a good if not outstanding player.

What he did was isolate the 4 things that he needed to work on to compensate for the fact that whilst he was fast, he wasn’t super fast. And he worked on exercises for exactly those 4 things. And turned himself into a machine…(I don’t watch American Football, but I’ve watched footage of Rice on the ‘Toob and he’s truly magic in motion).

SO that for me is the greatest learning from the Rice story – isolate the fundamentals, and work on them with ruthless dedication. Over time it can take anyone head and shoulders above their competition. That’s an awesome lesson….and BTW I highly recommend Geoff Colvin’s book. It’s utterly fabulous.

Paul

Steven Washer July 23, 2011 at 2:15 pm: Brilliant, Paul. I agree 100%. Have a ruthless passion for the things you want to improve in, and don’t take no for an answer.

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Carol Anne Munro July 25, 2011 at 4:28 pm